1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus for installing and removing electrical power meters.
2. Description of Prior Art
It has been necessary to periodically remove and replace electrical power meters from the electrical power distribution box or housing to which they are mounted. Conventionally, the inner workings of these meters have been enclosed within a suitable protective cover of transparent glass or synthetic resin. Improper application of force during installation or removal of the power meter could often result in breakage of the cover. Broken pieces of the cover caused a safety hazard, and a broken cover made it a difficult task to remove a meter still in place on the power distribution box.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,044,158 related to a gripping tool for installing and removing electrical power meters. This prior art gripping tool had engaging fingers which were adapted to fit into corresponding circumferentially disposed notches about the periphery of a band about a base portion of the meter. There usually have been several types of power meters in service for an electric utility company. Different types of meters had different notch arrangements: some had no notches for engagement by a gripping tool, while others had one, two, three or more. Thus, a gripping tool according to this prior art patent was not adapted for use with several different power meters types.
Other types of electrical power meter installing or removing tools were those set forth in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,322,380 and 3,934,326. Structure for removing vacuum tubes used in radio or television communication before the advent of transistors and other solid state electronic components were set forth, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,294,542 and 2,783,667.